Multicentre pilot study evaluation of lung ultrasound for the management of paediatric pneumonia in low-resource settings: a study protocol

Introduction Pneumonia is the leading infectious cause of death among children under 5 years of age worldwide. However, pneumonia is challenging to diagnose. Lung ultrasound (LUS) is a promising diagnostic technology. Further evidence is needed to better understand the role of LUS as a tool for the diagnosis of childhood pneumonia in low-resource settings. Methods and analysis This study aims to pilot LUS in Mozambique and Pakistan and to generate evidence regarding the use of LUS as a diagnostic tool for childhood pneumonia. Children with cough Ethics and dissemination This trial was approved by the Western Institutional Review Board as well as local ethics review committees at each site. We plan to disseminate study results in peer-reviewed journals and international conferences. Trial registration number NCT03187067.